Take the Reins
by HBird113
Summary: "By the end of tonight, you'll be the only one he has left. Don't let him break down. Keep him strong for me, okay? Protect him." "I... I'll try." "Promise?" "Promise. I'll do my best." When Leland dies, Finn will need a new best friend. Someone to fill the hole now in his heart, and Siddeley is more than willing to help. [One-shot]


A/N: This one-shot sprung from a plot bunny and is very I&I-esque, so I figured that since I'm not done with chapter 17 (the _real_ chapter 17) yet, I should give you guys this :3 I was gonna upload this to DoC, but it's too different from that and too similar to I&I, so that's why this is its own thing.

Also, remember, children: angst!Siddeley is always best Siddeley. And if you disagree/are tired of my stories like that, then just click away right now XD

I do not own Cars.

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><p>"Alright, I'm going in."<p>

"No! Wait just a bit longer, Finn will be here soon."

"I can't afford to wait any longer, Siddeley. I have to get at that camera now."

"No you don't!"

"I do. If I don't go now, I'll miss my chance. Besides, everything's taken care of already. Finn's on his way."

"Exactly, he can help you!"

"This is not up for discussion. Now listen to me: we both know how this is going to end. We know how Finn is going to become."

"He'll curl up and hide. And be practically brain-dead. Emotionless."

"Precisely."

"That scares me, Leland."

"Same. Which is why I'm relying on you to help him when this is over."

"How? He's always been closer to you than me. I can't do anything."

"By the end of tonight, you'll be the only one he has left. Don't let him break down. Keep him strong for me, okay? Protect him."

"I... I'll try."

"Promise?"

"Promise. I'll do my best."

"Excellent. Over and out."

"Bye, Leland."

Static, then silence.

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><p>Finn was almost impossible to spot against the dark waves. If it weren't for frequent radio calls and radar, I would've flown right past him.<p>

I circled a few times before landing on the pontoons CHROME had outfitted me with and lowered the ramp for Finn to drive in. Once he was secure in my cabin, I took off again.

He was quiet. Finn wasn't ever talkative, but he'd normally be giving me a quick run-down of the events of the mission I'd just picked him up from, if this were a normal pickup. But he didn't need to this time. I'd gotten the memo about Leland being dead just about ten minutes before retrieving Finn from the ocean. Other cars back at HQ had been tracking Leland's signal, and I wasn't sure how it worked, but it shut off. His radio call went silent and his beacon disappeared. After the shouting on his end and the short burst of static, we could only assume the worst.

Finn was on the same oil platform Leland was on when it happened. It made perfect sense, really, that he'd remain a car of few words throughout this flight.

But I wasn't a mind-reader, and Finn's brooding wouldn't keep me from trying to coax something, anything, out of him. I started with the basics. "Are you hurt, sir?"

"Hmph."

I rolled my eyes. Well that was a waste of breath. "Where to?" I asked again.

Before Finn could answer, we both heard a series of short, clipped beeps that meant a video call was coming in, most likely from HQ. Finn slowly rolled over to the computer inside my cabin and started talking.

The conversation didn't last long. "Japan," he said once it was over.

"Tokyo?"

"Yes."

Nodding as if he could see me, I scanned my internal databases for a map of where I currently was. I found Tokyo quickly and turned in a half circle to set a course for it.

"Afterburners, sir?"

It took a while for the weary reply. "Is there any other way?"

I didn't want to use the afterburners for sake of fuel, but if that's what Finn wanted, I'd do it. The roar of my engines sounded behind me, and we were off at a brisk pace toward Japan.

As I flew, I sensed Finn driving over to the computer. He reversed into his chair and settled lower on his wheels, and didn't move an inch afterward. He must've been staring at Leland's empty chair across from him, because I could feel it. I could feel his sadness and regret, his sense of loss boring into me, but his pain made me feel...

...satisfied, almost.

But that wasn't good. It's not _enough_. Could it be? My friend, the only one left living now, was in pain. And it was my responsibility to ease it, not only because I'm his friend, but because Leland trusted me with this job.

_I'll help Finn_, I decided. _I'll help_ _and support him and be his best friend. And he'll care about me, and he'll be okay again._

Now that Leland was out of the way.

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><p>AN: Sorry it's so short. I didn't really have anywhere else to go with it. I'm also sorry for the insanely pathetic amount of angsty Siddeley crud I spew out. But I can't help it that it's my bread and butter *shrugs weakly*

Oh and I have a headcanon that Sid actually dislikes the afterburners and he only uses them because Finn likes them XD and I'm not sure if a plane Sid's size can have pontoons, but it also doesn't make sense that he has afterburners. Oh well, CHROME makes magic happen like that XD

DON'T WORRY, ONE DAY I'LL WRITE SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T PORTRAY SID AS A KICKED-PUPPY-GONE-EVIL

BUT GUESS WHAT

TODAY

AIN'T THAT DAY

Thanks for reading, and reviews are always greatly appreciated.


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